Things Unexpected
by Radical Edward2
Summary: A Tifa/Reno fic. Rated R for language and some violence. Now living in Junon, how will Reno react to meeting Tifa in a bar one night? Please R&R! ^_^
1. Lives So Changed

Author's Note: Okay everyone; this is my first attempt at a fic, so please bear with me if it's not all that great to begin with. I chose Tifa and Reno for this story because I think they make a great couple. ^_^ It takes place shortly after Midgar is destroyed and Shinra collapses. Reno moved to Junon, as did Cloud and Tifa. So they're still all trying to rebuild their lives. Please R/R! ^_^  
  
Disclaimer: I own none of it! Although I wish I owned Reno. It all belongs to big companies who, if they decide to sue me, will get little more than some lint covered pocket change and a guitar pick.  
  
This Chapter rated R for language. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Things Unexpected  
  
Chapter 1: Lives So Changed  
  
  
  
Reno sat at the edge of the bar with his chin resting in his hands. A whiskey sat on the counter in front if him, the ice inside it beginning to melt. He picked it up and took a large drink, swirling the bitter liquid around in his mouth before swallowing. He placed the glass on the counter and raised his hand for another. The old lady tending the bar hobbled over to refill it. "You ok, son?" She asked, benignly. He shifted his gaze to focus on her better.  
  
"Yeah, fantastic. I lost my job, my hometown, and my life all in one day. I'm great." He said quietly, though his words were tinged with bitterness.  
  
"You're from Midgar, huh?" The old lady leaned against the counter.  
  
"You're a smart one." Was his reply.  
  
"Now look here, kiddo. I know you think your life is more miserable than everyone else's right now, but that doesn't give you grounds to be rude to me. Now you'll change your tone or take your business elsewhere." She stood and pointed a finger towards the door. Reno smirked at her and took another drink.  
  
"I'll be good."  
  
A young woman entered the bar a moment later, but Reno paid her no mind. Normally, he would've been trying to pick her up, but he was in such a bad mood he didn't even feel like trying. She sat down on the stool next to him and ordered a drink. He glanced at her, and took another sip from his drink. He paused. Glanced at her again. He couldn't believe it. Was it her? Yes. It had to be. It was.  
  
It was Tifa Lockheart.  
  
Her eyes were red and puffy, as though she had been crying. Her hair was just as long and smooth as it had ever been, and her body just as lean. She put her face in her hands and sobbed quietly. He didn't really want to talk to her. After all, she had been one of the ones who ruined his life anyway. If she had some damned emotional problem it was hers to deal with. He didn't care. The bartender however, did.  
  
"What's the matter, love?" She asked Tifa, who raised her head and sniffed loudly.  
  
"Oh, nothing. It's nothing, really. Just boyfriend troubles" she answered, wiping her nose with a napkin.  
  
"Well it's obviously something, but I won't make you talk if you don't want. If you need to, I'm here for you, dear." The old lady went back to wiping dishes.  
  
Reno knew exactly whom she had been talking about. Old Clod. Clod Strife. He hated that man. He couldn't see what Tifa saw in him. He was messed up in the head, and everybody knew it.  
  
He glanced at Tifa again, and this time, he decided to speak to her.  
  
"Ole' Clod giving you a hard time, is he?" He said coldly. She looked up, startled.  
  
"Reno! What the hell are you doing here?" Her expression changed from depressed to angry.  
  
"What the fuck does it look like? I'm having a drink." He leaned on the counter, trying to look innocent.  
  
"I mean why are you here?" She began to get frustrated  
  
"Where?"  
  
"Here!"  
  
"In Junon?"  
  
"Yes you asshole!"  
  
"I have nowhere else to go."  
  
She hesitated, then said,  
  
"What do you mean, nowhere else to go?" He gulped down the rest of his drink and ordered another.  
  
"Well, I don't know if you've noticed, but there's no longer a Midgar." He rolled his eyes sarcastically. She glared at him, as if he'd insulted her family name.  
  
"You ruined my life." She spat at him. He turned quickly and yelled,  
  
"I ruined your life? No, Sephiroth ruined your life. I merely did a little handy work here and there. No, I think it's the other way around."  
  
"What the fuck does that mean?" She stood up quickly, knocking the stool over.  
  
"I think you know perfectly well what it means! I had a great career going! I was going places! Until you and your little friends came in and shut everything down!" He stood up also, but his stool remained standing.  
  
"You killed my friends!"  
  
"I was doing my job!"  
  
"Have you no conscience at all?"  
  
"Me? What about you! Going around blowing up reactors! Do you honestly think no lives were lost then? Or do the people you killed not matter!"  
  
She opened her mouth, as if to say something, but then shut it. He was right. She had killed people. But that was different, wasn't it? He killed people without remorse, intending to do harm. She was trying to help. It wasn't the same, was it? Maybe it was. Maybe they were both cold- hearted murderers.  
  
They stared at each other. She had not come here for an argument. She was in a bad enough mood as it was. Meeting Reno was something she did not need to deal with right now. She picked up her stool, slammed it down on the floor, and sat back down.  
  
"I don't want to argue right now. That's all in the past." She ordered another drink. Reno sat back down as well, seeming to accept her refusal without question. It seemed he was not in the mood either.  
  
Everyone who had been in the bar had either left when they began screaming at one another or were hiding in the shadows, trying to avoid these two potentially dangerous individuals. The old lady bartender seemed to know when not to interfere, and as long as they didn't harm her, her other customers, or her bar, she didn't care what they did.  
  
Tifa looked over at Reno, who had returned to his slumped position. His long red hair, which was pulled back in his usual ponytail, hung in his face slightly. The light reflected in his bright blue eyes, which looked exhausted and weary. Maybe he had seen more pain in his life than she knew. She didn't, after all, know how he had grown up, although she'd heard from Reeve that he had been an orphan. That didn't justify his actions, not in the least, but she couldn't blame him for being the way he was, if his life had been as hard as hers.  
  
But he was still wrong. He had killed a whole sector of people with the push of a button. Of course, those were his orders, but he had been amused when the plate fell. When her friends were killed. He was a murderer. She may have killed people, but she had, in the end, been trying to help. Not that her actions were justified by that fact either. They had both performed unthinkable acts of violence and terrorism in the name of something greater. He, in the name of the Turks. She, in the name of the planet. But it didn't matter. Lives had still been lost.  
  
Reno looked at his watch. It wasn't very late, only 9:15. But he needed some air. Sitting in a stuffy bar for a few hours could really get old. He turned to leave, and has almost reached the door when he heard Tifa's voice.  
  
"I'm sorry." She said quietly. He hesitated.  
  
"Me too." Was his final, flat response. Then he walked quickly out the door.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
A/N: Well, that was chapter one. What didja think? Why was Tifa crying? Did Reno really mean it when he said he was sorry? Ok, ok, I know this chapter wasn't really that interesting, but it takes me a while to get a story started. It'll get better as it goes. Any input would be greatly appreciated! 


	2. New Challenges

Author's Note: Okay, so the first chapter wasn't all that good. I'm still getting used to the whole thing. But fear not! My stories usually start out kinda lame, but pick up later on, so if you care to stick around for the rest, I'll try not to disappoint you. Please R/R! ^_^  
  
Disclaimer: Yadda yadda yadda, I don't own any of it, you know the drill.  
  
This Chapter rated PG-13 for language. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Things Unexpected  
  
Chapter 2: New Challenges  
  
It was a beautiful morning in Junon. The sun was hovering over the horizon, the sky was clear, and the air was crisp and cool as Tifa walked briskly down the street. The chilly morning air hit her face and made her nose run as she went. She was on her way to "Easy Cuts", the hair salon where she had managed to find a job. She didn't like cutting hair, it seemed a futile practice, but it was all she could find. She had to admit it wasn't really all that bad. The hours were good, the pay was reasonable, and she got the opportunity to meet some very interesting people. Probably the worst thing about it was her boss. Cathy. Cathy's job was to make sure everyone who worked at the salon was miserable. Or, that's what it seemed to Tifa. She would always interfere when someone was getting a haircut, insisting that the person doing the cutting was doing it wrong. Then she would tell them to work harder or find somewhere else to work. Tifa had nearly had it with her, but she supposed it could be a lot worse.  
  
After about ten minutes of walking, she finally reached her destination. She entered, took off her coat, and began to set things up for the day.  
  
"Mornin', Tif." A woman's voice said. Tifa turned to see a large black woman enter the salon, a cup of steaming coffee in her hand.  
  
"Oh, good morning, Sheryll." She answered pleasantly. Sheryll was another employee at Easy Cuts. She was a very jolly person who got along with almost everyone. She was the customer's favorite.  
  
"Nice day, huh?" Sheryll mused.  
  
"Very. I love days like this." Tifa flipped the sign on the door so it read, 'Yes, we're open!' Sheryll began taking things out of her bag and setting them up on the counter. They were usually the first two to arrive in the morning, so they almost always had time to sit and chat about things. Tifa enjoyed their conversations greatly. They took her mind off everything else that was going on.  
  
"Do you think Cathy's Bitch-o-Meter is on high today?" Sheryll asked with a chuckle. Tifa laughed. Sheryll was always able to make everyone laugh.  
  
"I hope not." Tifa answered. "But if it is, she'd better keep it away from me, or my hand may go berserk with the scissors."  
  
This time, it was Sheryll's turn to laugh. She sat down in one of the parlor chairs and sipped her coffee quietly.  
  
"Hey," She looked at Tifa solemnly. "Did you read about that drug bust downtown in today's paper?" Tifa looked rather surprised.  
  
"No. What happened?"  
  
"Well, apparently there's a cartel in the city. They don't know just how many people are in on it, but the police said it was likely that they were in connection with some dealers in Costa del Sol."  
  
Tifa looked skeptical. "Costa del Sol? Are you for real?"  
  
Sheryll nodded. "Yeah, since it's a big tourist place and all, the cops say that it would be an ideal place to deal. Lots of different people coming and going all the time. But like. Two days ago I think, they caught three different dealers, all said to be connected to some major underground drug lines."  
  
Tifa couldn't believe it. Well, she could, but it was still quite a shock. Hearing this made her remember something she'd read in the newspaper a few weeks ago. Something about a shooting. Apparently there had been a dispute over some heroine sales, and it had led to violence. Two people had been killed. She assumed that the two incidents were connected. She wanted to ask Sheryll more about it, but a customer entered before she could say anything. She would just have to read the newspaper when she got home.  
  
Hours past, and soon it was two o'clock. Time for Tifa to head home. She took her time. Enjoying the afternoon air. It had warmed up considerably, and so she carried her jacket as she strolled down the street. She decided to take a detour through the park. It wasn't very big, but there was lots of shade, a few nice fountains, and plenty of benches to sit on. She inhaled the sweet smelling air, and listened to all the high-pitched chirps and whistles of the birds overhead. She wished she were a bird. Then she would leave this dreary city, and live somewhere away from all the killings and cartels. Somewhere up in the mountains. Of course, that would never happen.  
  
She suddenly noticed someone sitting on a bench not too far ahead of her, reading a newspaper. She couldn't see all of their face, but she was able to see a pair of blue eyes, hidden partially behind a shock of red hair.  
  
Oh no. She thought. She hoped he wouldn't see her. Maybe it wasn't even him. Lots of people have red hair. No. She was fooling herself. It was him. It was Reno.  
  
She walked quicker, and turned her head away from him as she passed so that he wouldn't notice her. But it was too late.  
  
"What's the rush?" She heard his voice say from behind the paper. She stopped and turned around. It was too late to just walk past, and she didn't want to be rude. Wait. What was she thinking? This was Reno. Why did it matter if she was rude to him or not? It didn't, she supposed, but she had to say something.  
  
"What do you want?" Was what she finally decided on.  
  
He put the newspaper down and put his hands behind his head. "What do you mean? Is it a crime to inquire as to why someone would be walking, perfectly contently, then suddenly speed up as if to avoid something?"  
  
Tifa rolled her eyes. She didn't want to get into this. She had been having such a nice walk, too. But suddenly a thought hit her. If she left, she would eventually have to go home. That was something she was not eager to do.  
  
With a heavy sigh, she sat down on the opposite end of the bench.  
  
"You look happy." Reno said sarcastically. Tifa glared at him.  
  
"Don't even start with me today."  
  
He chuckled lightheartedly. "What's the matter? Don't want to go home?"  
  
She turned and looked at him sharply. "What makes you say that?  
  
"Well, it seems to me that people usually go home after work." He pulled out a cigarette and lit it. Tifa continued to stare at him.  
  
"How do you know I just got off work?"  
  
He pointed to her shirt. It was blue, and it said "Easy Cuts" on it in cursive lettering. Her nametag was also still on.  
  
"Oh." She felt rather uncomfortable. Why had she even sat down? She must be crazy. "Well maybe I just wanted to go for a walk. It's a nice day, after all."  
  
Reno raised an eyebrow at her. "Oh yeah? I guess you're right."  
  
They sat in silence for a few minutes as he puffed his cigarette. She didn't know he smoked. Finally, she broke the stillness.  
  
"You know, those things'll kill you."  
  
He took another puff, and then extinguished the rest on the edge of the bench. "Is that better mother?"  
  
She chuckled a bit under her breath. She hated cigarettes. Every time she told someone to put one out, they always came back with some sort of retort about her acting like their mother. Reno picked up the newspaper and opened it again.  
  
"Did you hear about the raid?" He asked.  
  
"Yeah. Although I don't know too much about it. I didn't get a chance to read the paper today."  
  
"Here." He handed her his copy. "You should read it, it's pretty interesting."  
  
She took the paper and looked at the picture on the cover. It was of a tall, dark haired man being arrested by the police.  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"I want it back when you're done with it." He told her. She looked up at him awkwardly, but he just laughed.  
  
"Idiot." She stood up and prepared to leave. He stood up also.  
  
"Maybe, but at least I admit it. Catch ya later." He turned and began to walk away. She looked at him as he left. She didn't like him much at all. But she had to admit he was charming.  
  
Still, that didn't matter. He was still a bad person. Wasn't he? He had killed her friends. Had he just been doing his job? Of course, but he still did it willingly. It would take a helluva lot for her to even come close to forgiving him. Like, maybe if he saved the universe.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
A/N: Ok, this chapter was a bit longer. Still not too much happening yet, but what's up with this cartel business? Nothin' good's gonna come of it. *Shakes her head vigorously* I still appreciate your input! ^_^ 


	3. A Change of Lifestyle

Author's Note: Ok, I know so far the story hasn't been too interesting, but some stuff's going to happen in this chapter which will explain some stuff, such as why Tifa doesn't want to go home, and why she was crying at the bar the night before. This is still the same day she met Reno in the park. Ok, I'll get on with it. Please R/R! ^_^  
  
Disclaimer: Nothing's mine, so don't sue me.  
  
This chapter rated R for language and violence.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
  
  
Things Unexpected  
  
Chapter 3: A Change of Lifestyle  
  
It was late when Tifa opened the door to her small one- bedroom apartment. After talking with Reno, she had gone to the grocery store, since she was almost sure they were out of milk. She entered the apartment and flicked on the light.  
  
"Where the fuck have you been?" She heard a cold voice say. Turning towards it, she saw a man sitting on the couch, an empty bottle of vodka in his hand. Other bottles were strewn about on the floor, their contents long gone. The man stood up. His eyes, once a bright blue, were dull and lifeless. His hair spiked out in all directions. Tifa put the bag of groceries on the floor. She was nervous already.  
  
"Cloud. I- I had to get groceries. We're out of milk."  
  
He glanced at the bag on the floor beside her, but did not look convinced. He picked up a small clock that sat on the coffee table in front of him and threw it, hard, at the wall. It shattered with a loud crash that made her jump. He was very drunk.  
  
"It's eight fucking thirty! No one takes that long to get a fucking carton of milk!"  
  
Tifa didn't know how to appease him. There was no getting through when he was like this.  
  
"Cloud, stop! I just went to the park, that's all!"  
  
He took a stride towards her and shook his fists.  
  
"Yeah, right! Where the fuck were you! Tell me! NOW!" He picked up a lamp next to him and bashed it against the table.  
  
Tifa was afraid now. He had never been this bad. Usually he just raised his voice or slapped her, and she usually put up with it, although she didn't know why. But he had never begun breaking furniture, and it looked as if he was getting madder by the second.  
  
"I'm sorry! I'm telling the truth! You have to believe me, Cloud!" She put her hands up defensively. Normally, she would have knocked the crap out of anyone who tried to lay a hand on her, but Cloud. She felt weak around him. She didn't know why, but she could never bring herself to hit him. It was an inhibition she wished she didn't have.  
  
Cloud, on the other hand, did not have any qualms about hitting her. And that's exactly what he did. He crossed the distance between them with two large strides, raised his hand, and slapped her across the face. She screamed and put her hands up defensively. He began attacking her now, throwing himself on top of her and hitting her, hard, all over. Her face, her arms, her chest, everywhere he could manage to get a hit in, he did. He started screaming at her, too. He screamed terrible things at her. Tears began flowing down her face, and her nose began to bleed.  
  
She couldn't take this. She wasn't going to put up with it anymore.  
  
She opened her eyes, and brought the palm of her hand, fast as lightening, crushing into his nose. He yelped loudly and fell back on his knees, his hand over his face. But she wasn't done. She raised her knee so that it nearly touched her chin, and then slammed it into his chest, sending him flying backwards. He glared at her with a look so full of hate, she wanted to break down and cry. But instead, she flew to her feet, opened the door, and was running full speed down the street before Cloud could do anything. He continued shouting things at her as she fled, crying, bruised, and bloody.  
  
Hours later, or so it seemed to Tifa, she stopped to catch her breath. She looked at her surroundings, but didn't recognize them. She had run to fast and so blindly, she had gotten herself lost in an obviously bad part of town. She had no clue where she was, but as long as it wasn't back there, with Cloud, she didn't care.  
  
She began walking, slowly; trying to find something recognizable, but all she saw were run-down apartment buildings and trashy bars. There was graffiti on almost every wall, and there were almost no signs of life to be found.  
  
At least, that's what she thought.  
  
A sudden noise from behind her made her turn sharply. She saw several men, rough-looking men at that, appear from an alley not far away from her. There were about seven of them, and they all looked at her hungrily. One of them, the largest one, took a step towards her. He was about the nastiest looking thing Tifa had ever seen.  
  
"Hey baby, you look scared and lonely. Why don't you come with us? We'll make it better." He motioned to his comrades behind him.  
  
Immediately Tifa hauled ass in the other direction. They followed, of course, and they were much faster than they looked. They were gaining on her, and she didn't know where she could go to lose them.  
  
She turned blindly down an alley, hoping they might be stupid enough to not notice and keep going. They weren't. They followed her as she tipped over trashcans and cardboard boxes, trying to slow them down. She thought she might actually be able to get away, when she saw, up ahead, something that stole every hope of her escaping unharmed.  
  
The alley was a dead-end.  
  
She stopped, terrified, and turned to face her attackers. She didn't think she could handle all of them. Not in the condition she was in. They were all very large, muscular thugs. She would have been able to handle maybe three or four of them at once, but not seven.  
  
They gathered around in front of her whispering to one another.  
  
"Common, babe, you know we'll make you feel real good." Said one.  
  
"Yeah, we know how to handle a lady." Another crooned.  
  
"Get the fuck away from me!" Tifa screamed. It only seemed to entice them. She entered her fighting stance, and tried not to look as frightened as she was.  
  
Then they advanced on her, all at once. One ran up beside her and tried wrapping his arms around her waist. She grabbed his wrist and pulled him towards her, while at the same time slamming her knee into his gut. He fell, gasping for breath as the others took note. She would not be as easy as they had anticipated. But that didn't slow them down. Two more charged her from the front. She took them down with a powerful roundhouse kick.  
  
Suddenly, the one she had kneed in the stomach appeared behind her, capturing both her arms behind her head. The others saw this and approached more rapidly. She kicked with all her might, catching one in the chin, another in the nose.  
  
"You dumb bitch! Just stay still!" The largest one yelled, and grabbed her shirt, attempting to rip it off. It tore, but managed to remain on its host.  
  
Tifa screamed. She screamed hard and loud, hoping anyone nearby might be able to hear her.  
  
The large one advanced again, this time, pressing his mouth forcefully against hers. She bit down, hard, on his lower lip, causing him to cry out in pain.  
  
"Fuck you, stupid whore!" He slapped her across the face, harder than she had ever been slapped before. The force of the blow made her dizzy. She struggled to remain conscious.  
  
The next few minutes were a blur. She remembered hearing some sort of electric sound, almost like a zap. She heard it several times, and then she saw another person, a much smaller person, kicking the crap out of the thugs. She thought the person was armed, but she couldn't be sure. Then she felt the grip that held her arms weaken, and she fell into something. Or was it someone? She couldn't tell, but she remembered seeing a pair of bright blue eyes looking down at her. Then she blacked out.  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
A/N: My goodness! Well, that chapter was much more interesting than the last two, if I do say so myself! From here on the story is probably going to pick up a lot, so don't worry. Poor Tifa, 'eh? Don't get the wrong idea. I like Tifa a lot, but something like this had to happen if she's going to:  
  
Break up with Cloud (Who I also like, but this story isn't about him) Get together with Reno, which is what we all want to see, right? ^_^ 


	4. Reconcile

Author's Note: Ok, well, I'm finishing this story no matter what happens because I need practice, and I can't stop something once I've started. However, it seems that I'm doing it in vain, since it seems nobody's reading it! I've only gotten 2 reviews (thanks you guys! ^_^), but if no one else is reading the story, what's the point? Oh well. For the few of you who are reading, thanks a bunch! I appreciate it. I'll get on with it now. ^_^  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own nothin'.  
  
This chapter rated R for language.  
  
Things Unexpected  
  
Chapter 4: Reconcile  
  
Tifa awoke to the sound of something sizzling and cracking. She opened her eyes, and found herself staring at a strange ceiling. She looked around, but did not recognize the room she was in. It was a small, run-down apartment, with a few pieces of cheap furniture here and there. The sizzling sound was now accompanied by a pleasant smell. Was someone cooking?  
  
She sat up on the couch where she lay, and immediately regretted it. Her head hurt. Her eyes throbbed, and her body ached. She didn't know where she was, but she was alive, at least.  
  
"Good morning, sunshine." A voice sounded from somewhere behind her. She turned, and was shocked to find Reno standing in the doorway. He was holding a large frying pan; it's contents still hot and steaming.  
  
"Reno! Where am I? What's going on?" She stood quickly, but her body ached too much, and she had to sit down again. He opened a cupboard above his head and pulled out a dish, onto which he piled a large amount of eggs from the frying pan. He placed it on the table in front of her, then handed her a fork.  
  
"Thanks." She said gratefully, as she began to eat like there was no tomorrow. She wanted some answers, but damn, she needed food first!  
  
"Hungry?" He chuckled, and sat down in a chair that looked as though it would collapse at any moment.  
  
They sat in silence as she ate, neither one of them really knowing what to say.  
  
Several minutes later, Tifa placed the fork on the now empty plate, and sighed contentedly. Now she was ready to talk. She turned to Reno, who sat quietly in his ratty chair, running his fingers through his hair absentmindedly.  
  
"Reno." She said, getting his attention. "Where am I? What's going on?"  
  
He looked around the room, then back at her before answering.  
  
"You're at my place. Nice, isn't it?" He fingered a crack in the wall. "I don't know where you live, so I brought you here last night."  
  
"Last night? What did you do last night?" She strained her mind trying to recall. She remembered going home, Cloud yelling at her and hitting her. She remembered running, and being lost. Then she remembered being chased, and attacked. After that her memory was a bit blurry. She put her hand up to her face, and was startled by the pain when she touched it. Half of her face was swollen. Probably from the attack, or Cloud.  
  
Reno hesitated. Did she really not remember? Or was she deliberately trying not to?  
  
"You know, after those guys tried to rape you. Then I came and kicked their asses. Remember?"  
  
She furrowed her brow, trying desperately to remember what exactly had happened.  
  
"No. I remember being attacked, but after that, it's blurry."  
  
He crossed his arms, and leaned forward in his chair.  
  
"Well, it's probably better that way anyway. But I heard you scream. Thank God I showed up in time to save you. Who knows what would have happened if I hadn't."  
  
Tifa shivered. The thought of being gang raped scared the shit out of her. She couldn't believe she had let herself get into the situation in the first place.  
  
"What were you doing there, anyway?" Reno asked curiously.  
  
"I. I was lost." She answered slowly. He didn't look convinced.  
  
"You were lost? Do you know where you were? Where you are? The only reason I was there is because I live near there. This is probably the worst part of town you'll ever see."  
  
She cupped her hands in her lap. She had a feeling he knew she wasn't telling the whole truth.  
  
She sighed. She supposed there wasn't really any harm in telling him. He would take her side anyway, since he hated Cloud so much.  
  
"I- I'd had a fight with Cloud." She glanced at Reno, as if expecting him to say something, but he didn't. Just sat there, looking at her intently.  
  
"After I went home last night, he got mad. He was drunk. I tried to explain, but he wouldn't listen. He started swearing at me and throwing things. He always yells, but he's never gotten violent before. Well, not too violent. But, he started hitting me. I told him to stop, but he wouldn't. I. I couldn't help it. I started crying, but he just kept hitting me and hitting me. He swore horrible things at me. Things you'd never hear in civilized conversation."  
  
She paused and took a breath. She realized she had started crying again, but she didn't care. It felt good to vent. She hadn't been able to do it in such a long time. She wiped her eyes and went on.  
  
"Finally I was able to get away from him. I just took off down the street, and didn't stop until I felt like I was going to pass out. I wasn't paying attention to where I was going. That's how I ended up here last night."  
  
She picked up her napkin and blew her nose with it. She didn't know why she was crying again. Especially in front of Reno. She didn't want him to think she was weak. He probably thought she was pitiful. Hell, even she thought she was pitiful.  
  
Regaining her composure, she looked at Reno, half expecting him to let loose some snide remark, or start laughing at her. But the look she received was one of sympathy. He just sat, looking at her, as if he was trying to talk to her with his eyes. Finally, he broke the silence.  
  
"So what are you going to do?"  
  
She looked at the napkin folded in her hands and shrugged. She hadn't thought about that. She wasn't going to go back to Cloud. She'd had it with him. Everyone had been right. He was messed up. She had merely been too foolish to see it.  
  
"I don't know. I guess I'll stay with one of the girls from the salon."  
  
Reno stood up and stretched.  
  
"You want some coffee? You look like you could use some."  
  
Her face brightened. Coffee was the one friend who never let her down.  
  
"Yes, please."  
  
He walked down the hall into the kitchen and began to make a pot.  
  
"The bathroom's the first door on the left, if you want to take a shower or something. I don't have many women's clothes in stock right now, but you can wear something of mine if you need to."  
  
She stood up, slowly, and made her way to the bathroom. Why was he being so nice? He had always been such an asshole to her and her friends, and now he was letting her wear his clothes? Had he always been like this? Or was it a trick? Maybe he wanted what those thugs had been after the night before. That was probably it. No. How could she think that about someone? He was being kind to her, and she was suspecting him of ulterior motives? Well, she had to admit, it wasn't like he hadn't done enough in the past to warrant the thought.  
  
She looked in the bathroom mirror and gasped. She looked like shit. One whole side of her face was badly swollen and red. Her nose was bloody, and she had a nasty-looking gash above her left eye. As she removed her clothes, she found the rest of her body to be in no better condition. She had bruises all over the place. Her chest and stomach were sore to the touch. She was just thankful that more hadn't been allowed to happen.  
  
She felt much better when she emerged from the shower. Reno had given her a pair of pants and shirt to wear, since the outfit she'd been wearing was torn and bloody. Hardy fit for future use.  
  
She entered the kitchen and was greeted with the aroma of freshly brewed coffee. Reno handed her a cup as she sat down at the small dinner table. He sat down opposite her, and they sat, drinking their coffee, enjoying the rays of sunlight that streaked in through the window.  
  
Suddenly Tifa remembered something.  
  
"What time is it?" She asked. Reno looked at his watch.  
  
"10:30."  
  
"Can I use your phone?"  
  
"Knock yourself out."  
  
Tifa picked up the phone and dialed the number for Easy Cuts. She had forgotten today was only Friday, but she felt like shit, and wasn't in very good working condition at the moment.  
  
"Hello? Sheryll? It's Tifa. Yeah. Hey, listen; I'm not coming in today. I had an accident last night, and I don't think I can make it. No. I'll tell you about it later. Yes, I'm all right. I think so. Yes. Thanks so much. Ok. Bye."  
  
She hung up the phone, and sat back down at the table. She looked at Reno, trying to decide what to make of him. She noticed several small bruises on his face. Probably from fighting with those thugs last night.  
  
"Thank you for saving me last night. I don't want to think what would've happened if you hadn't shown up."  
  
"Well, I couldn't just leave you there. I'm not as bad a guy as you think."  
  
"No, I suppose not. But thank you all the same."  
  
"Don't mention it."  
  
They sat in silence again. Tifa thought about what she would do next. Where was she going to stay? Sheryll was one of the only people she really knew, but she also knew it would be nearly impossible to stay with her. Sheryll lived with her husband, and three small boys in an apartment no bigger than the one Reno was living in. Asking her for lodging would be intrusive, and wouldn't work.  
  
She supposed she could get a hotel. But all the hotels in Junon were either too expensive, or too dangerous. She didn't make much money, but she didn't want to get shot, either.  
  
She sighed and lay her head down on the table. What was she going to do?  
  
"What's wrong?" Reno asked her.  
  
"I don't know where I'm going to stay. I was lying when I said I could stay with someone from the salon. There's only one person I really know there, but she has a large family and no room for them as it is. I don't have money for a hotel unless it's in the slums, but I don't want to live there again. I don't know what I'm going to do."  
  
He looked at her for a long while. She certainly wasn't one for good luck. He couldn't believe she was still sane, with all the shit that had happened to her. He thought of Clod, that stupid asshole. He always knew that dumb fuck was messed up. Well, that was fairly obvious. Or so it seemed to Reno.  
  
Poor Tifa. The girl never caught a break. If something bad was happening, it was happening to her. He had never had anything against her. In fact, he had admired her since they first fought on the pillar in Midgar. She was strong. But even strong people have limits. Limits as to how much shit they can handle. He felt sorry for her.  
  
"You can stay here if you want." He said, finally.  
  
Tifa looked up. Was he serious? She didn't rule out the possibility that this was some cruel joke. Nor did she rule out the possibility that he was just trying to get her in bed. Although if he did try anything, she was fairly certain she could kick his ass.  
  
She didn't trust him. Not at all. But then again, he had saved her, and hadn't tried anything while she was out. Maybe he deserved a chance. Besides, she desperately needed a place to stay.  
  
"Do you mean it?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Why?"  
  
He shrugged. He knew she probably didn't like him much.  
  
"I dunno, you need a place to stay, don't you?"  
  
Tifa thought long and hard about his offer. She didn't really have any other choice.  
  
"Alright. Thank you. Again."  
  
He grinned at her and stood up, putting his cup in the sink.  
  
"Ok, there's not much in the fridge. Mostly eggs, since that's all I can cook. Feel free to explore. Although I doubt you'll find anything of much interest. I have to go to work now. There's an extra key in the desk over there if you want to go out. Umm. I think that's it."  
  
He put his shoes on and started for the door.  
  
"Oh, one more thing-" he said, turning around. "I have a cat. Her name is Tailes."  
  
"Tailes?"  
  
"Yeah, just pet her and you'll understand why. See you later."  
  
He left, locking the door behind him.  
  
Tifa still sat at the kitchen table. She wanted to meet Tailes. She stood up and placed her coffee cup on top of his in the sink.  
  
She looked around for the cat, and eventually found her sleeping on Reno's bed. She was small, black, and beautiful. She opened her eyes when Tifa entered the room. Standing slowly and stretching, Tailes lifted her head curiously at the stranger. When Tifa held out her hand, Tailes sniffed it, and then rubbed her head against the slender fingers.  
  
"Hi" Tifa said to the feline. "I'm Tifa. You must be Tailes. Odd name, I gotta say, but you sure are striking."  
  
As if to show Tifa the meaning behind her name, Tailes arched her back and stood her long tail straight up in the air, puffing it out as best she could. She purred loudly as Tifa giggled and stroked her back.  
  
"Oh I see! Well you certainly are sociable, aren't you?"  
  
A tiny mew was her reply.  
  
Tifa spent the rest of the morning cleaning up Reno's crappy little apartment. Couldn't the man do laundry? Honestly, the place looked as though an elephant had released its frustrations inside. Working actually took her mind off things for a while, and by the time she was done, all she wanted was to curl up on the couch and take a long nap.  
  
And that's exactly what she did.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~* A/N: Well, some weird stuff happening in this chapter, 'eh? Tifa actually accepted Reno's offer? Kinda strange. I wonder how this new arrangement will work out? And as for Tailes, I wanted to give Reno a pet because, to me, he just seems like the kind of guy that would like animals, and I love cats. ^_^ As for the name, "Tailes", I had a cat named Tailes, and she was wonderful. She was hit by a car last week, and to honor her memory, the Tailes in the story is going to be exactly like her. So when (if) you're reading something about Tailes, remember that my Tailes was the same way.  
  
I love you, Tailes! This one's for you! ^_^ 


	5. Altering Situations

Author's Note: First off, I'm reeeeeeeeeeally sorry I haven't updated in such a long time. It's been like what, a month? At least. I've just been so busy with RL. You know how it is, school, family matters, financial issues, all that crap. In any case, I'm sorry. I apologize for taking so long. Since it has been so long, let's recap! What's happened so far? Tifa works at Easy Cuts, a hair salon. She and Cloud had a big fight and she ran off, nearly being raped because of her actions. Reno arrived at the scene in time to save her, and now he's offered to let her stay with him. She accepted, not having much choice. Reno has a cat named Tailes. Oh, and on top of all this, there's news of a cartel operating in Junon. It may not seem like a big deal now, but who knows who's involved in it?  
  
Someone mentioned that Tifa should have been able to defend herself against the 4 thugs who attacked her in chapter 3. This is actually a very valid bit. While it's true, Tifa would probably be able to defend herself, it was 7 thugs who attacked her, not 4, and, I wanted her to get into a situation where she needed rescuing for the sake of the story. I realize I probably could have found a better way to do it, but thugs trying to rape her seemed the most likely situation considering her surroundings and current state of mind. In any case, thanks for bringing that up! I'm sure other people were thinking the same thing. You guys are cool!  
  
And thanks to everyone who mentioned Tailes. I'm sure she appreciates your concern. ^_~  
  
Ok, enough banter, on with the next chapter! ^_^  
  
Disclaimer: I'm poor and don't own anything. Don't sue me.  
  
This chapter rated R for language.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*  
  
Things Unexpected  
  
Chapter 5: Altering Situations  
  
  
  
Andrew Carleton had been smoking a cigar when two of his surly bodyguards burst through his office doors pushing in front of them another man, who didn't look as though he was there by choice. They shoved him roughly up to Mr. Carleton's desk. He stared at the smaller man, who, instead of looking intimidated, only spat on his floor. One of the bodyguards punched him in the face for doing so.  
  
"What is the meaning of this?" Mr. Carleton questioned. He was not what most people would expect from the most powerful man in the country. He was short, fat, and had long, greasy black hair. It was most certainly dyed, but no one dared mock it, for fear of execution. Mr. Carleton had a bad temper. Not just bad, but VERY bad. So much as look at the man wrong, and he would have you locked up for years.  
  
The largest bodyguard straightened fearfully at Mr. Carleton's impatient tone.  
  
"Sir, we found him probing around the loading dock down at the pier. We were unloading a new shipment from Costa del Sol, and we caught him trying to sneak onto the ship. He wouldn't say who he worked for, so we brought him to you."  
  
Mr. Carleton stood up quickly and walked around to the other side of his desk where the smaller man stood. Anger was rising in his veins already.  
  
"Who are you? Speak, fool!"  
  
The man nearly glared at Mr. Carleton with fierce blue eyes. He stood straighter, and Mr. Carleton saw that he was not actually as small as he had at first looked.  
  
"If you do not speak, you will be shot." Mr. Carleton growled. The man smirked at him.  
  
"You know, shampoo does wonders these days."  
  
A vein popped out on Mr. Carleton's forehead.  
  
"Insolent fool! Do you not know whom you are speaking to? I am Andrew Carleton! The most powerful man you shall ever look upon!"  
  
"No, I have looked upon several men much more powerful than you could ever hope to be." Said the blue-eyed man.  
  
One of the bodyguards punched the man in the stomach, causing him to fall to his knees. Mr. Carleton pushed a button on the intercom on his desk.  
  
"Mrs. Riley, please send Strife up to my office right now."  
  
'Yes Sir, he'll be right up." A woman's voice sounded.  
  
Mr. Carleton walked back around to his chair and sat down. He picked up his cigar and began to puff it slowly.  
  
"Well, if you'll not speak to me, I'm sure you'll be willing to talk to Cloud Strife. He's one of my best men, you know. He knows how to get the job done, I'll tell you that right now."  
  
The man gasped in disbelief when he heard the name.  
  
"Cloud Strife? Of SOLDIER?"  
  
"Correct."  
  
A few moments later, a knock sounded at the door.  
  
"Enter." Mr. Carleton said. The doors opened and in walked Cloud Strife, complete with his buster sword. He paused when he saw the smaller man. His mouth opened, as if to say something, but apparently he thought better of it and closed it again.  
  
"Ah, Mr. Strife. I'm very pleased that you could join us. Please, have a seat." Mr. Carleton motioned to a chair next to his desk. Cloud sat down. Mr. Carleton leaned forward on his desk.  
  
"Now, Mr. Strife, judging my your reaction when you entered, I'd say you know this man." He motioned to the small, blue- eyed man. "Is this true?"  
  
"Yes, Sir." Cloud nodded. Mr. Carleton leaned back and put his hands behind his head.  
  
"Ah. And where do you know him from?" Cloud shifted in his seat.  
  
"His name is Reno. He was a Turk."  
  
Mr. Carleton's eyes widened slightly in surprise.  
  
"A Turk? Well, he must not have been a very good one, to get caught by our guards so easily." He smirked at Reno, who glared back at him.  
  
"Now, Mr. Strife, what I want you to do, is find out what he was doing at the loading area. Why he was trying to get into the ship. Find out whom he works for. I don't care how you do it."  
  
"Yes, Sir." Cloud nodded again.  
  
"Dismissed." Mr. Carleton waved his hand in the air, telling them to go away. Cloud stood, and grabbed Reno roughly by the arm, leading him out the door. They walked down the corridor for several minutes. The building they were in was large. Very large. Reno didn't remember seeing a building this big in Junon. They had blindfolded him when he had been captured, so he was unable to see where they had gone. The drive didn't seem all that long, however.  
  
He also noticed that the place had no windows. Could it be they were underground?  
  
Suddenly Cloud turned into a large room on the right, and shut and locked the door behind them. He turned to face Reno, who glared at him with contempt.  
  
"Ok, asshole. Tell me what you're doing."  
  
Reno just stood there. If Clod thought he was getting answers by swearing at him, he had another thing coming.  
  
"Why the fuck should I tell you, Clod?"  
  
Cloud took a step towards him.  
  
"Why the hell are you in Junon? And what were you looking for on that ship? How did you know about the shipment?"  
  
Reno began to get defensive.  
  
"I'm not telling you anything, fucker! I think you have a lot more questions to answer than I do!"  
  
"Such as?"  
  
"Such as why you're working for some damn drug lord. I thought you were all 'let's save the world today!'"  
  
Cloud scoffed at him.  
  
"What I do is none of your concern, Turk. Now tell me before I kill you."  
  
Reno sat down in one of the many luxurious chairs that were in the room.  
  
"Is that what you said to the girl the night you beat her?" He knew he was treading on dangerous ground, but right now he was pissed, and didn't care.  
  
Cloud acted as Reno thought he would. He immediately grabbed his sword and held it to Reno's throat. A look of pure hatred was etched on his face.  
  
"What the fuck do you know about Tifa?" He growled.  
  
"I know that you're a sick fucker who beats women. I may be an asshole, but I don't stoop that low."  
  
The sword increased its pressure on Reno's throat slightly. Just enough to draw blood.  
  
"You stay away from her. You hear me, asshole?"  
  
"I think I should be saying the same thing to you."  
  
Suddenly Reno reached into his jacket and pulled out a gun, which he held right between Cloud's eyes.  
  
"Back up." He stated menacingly.  
  
Cloud did so, not wanting to be shot. Reno stood up, keeping the gun at arms length. He laughed at Cloud's expression.  
  
"You moron. Do you honestly think I would get caught that easily? Do you really believe that those two stupid guards could hold me down? It was easier than I thought to get in here. All I had to do was get myself captured. Now all I want is for you to tell me what the fuck is going on. Do that, and I'll let you live. You don't have your little friends here to save your pansy ass now."  
  
Cloud's face was red with fury. He looked barely able to control himself.  
  
"Killing me would be killing yourself."  
  
"I'm well aware of that. I didn't say I was going to kill you right now. Maybe I'll wait until you're back at home beating your girlfriend."  
  
Cloud's rage broke. He threw himself at Reno with his sword outstretched. Reno dodged to the right and rolled to his feet. Cloud turned quickly and thrust his sword at him. Reno ducked and shot Cloud in the shoulder. He cried out in pain and fell to his knees, sword clattering to the floor. Reno aimed the gun at Cloud's head.  
  
"Do you really think I didn't see that coming?" Cloud looked up at him in disgust.  
  
"You bastard" he spat. Reno chuckled.  
  
"Yeah, I suppose, but it's gotten me this far. Now shut up and tell me what's going on."  
  
Cloud sighed in resignation. He had no choice.  
  
"Mr. Carleton, the man the guards brought you to when you first arrived, started selling drugs several years ago to make a few extra bucks to feed his family. He was poor, and his wife and kid had nowhere to live. He was a chemist. He had been a professor at the Wutai Institute of Scientific Advancement. But he lost his job because of some incident that occurred in the lab, which ended up killing two students. He was driven out of town shortly after, and moved here to Junon, where no one knew him. He couldn't manage to hold a steady job, and so he turned to drug dealing.  
  
At first it was just small things. Marijuana, dope, you know, somewhat petty drugs. But then he started getting into heavier things like, ecstasy, and heroine. The more money he made, the more he dished out. And not long after, he began making his own type of drug. It's a powder called Harmony. Extremely strong, and extremely dangerous. It's mainly snorted, but it can be ingested orally as well. An ounce of it can kill a grown man, but if taken in minute doses, it's well worth the risk. Or, that's what his customer's thought.  
  
Then several other dealers in Junon found out about the drug, and wanted in on the profits, so it became a joint effort between all the major drug dealers in the area to sell as much of the stuff as they could. Mr. Carleton made a fraction of the profits for every gram that was sold. And they sold a lot.  
  
Eventually, word got out, and dealers in Costa del Sol wanted in as well. Well, it was mainly just one major dealer, who distributed it to several smaller dealers in that area. Everything seemed to be going off without a hitch, until many of the customers started dying. But their deaths were mysterious. They weren't standard drug user overdosing. Autopsy reports say that many of them died of starvation. That, however, made no sense whatsoever.  
  
Mr. Carleton inspected the drug, and found a chemical in it he had never seen before. This chemical was causing the users to fall into a coma, and eventually die from lack of food. The chemical, which Mr. Carleton called Hydrid Perclose, was not in the original formula for the drug. Which means someone had been tampering with the production of it. We still haven't found out who."  
  
Cloud shook his head in self-loathing. He was going to die if anyone found out he had leaked.  
  
Reno, however, seemed satisfied.  
  
"Hydrid Perclose? What kind of a name is that?"  
  
"Mr. Carleton's son had a stuffed animal named Hydrid Perclose. I guess he was fond of the sound."  
  
Reno looked at Cloud awkwardly. Mr. Carleton was an odd one, all right.  
  
"He told you all this?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"He trusts me."  
  
"Uh-huh."  
  
Reno pulled a ski mask out of his jacket pocket and put it on, shielding his face from view.  
  
"What are you doing?" Cloud asked.  
  
"I'm getting the hell out of here. And you're going to help me."  
  
Reno grabbed Cloud by the arm, causing him to flinch at the pain. There was blood all over the floor now, and Cloud's face was getting pale.  
  
Oh well, Reno thought. The dumb fuck deserved it.  
  
He shot the lock on the door. It swung slowly open, and Reno looked down the hall. No one.  
  
He grabbed Cloud and held him very close in front of him, keeping the gun at his head. They walked gradually down the hallway and turned a corner. There were several guards there who jumped when they saw him, but froze when they saw the gun at Cloud's head.  
  
"Lead me out of here."  
  
"Fuck you."  
  
"Do it or you die."  
  
Cloud hesitated. Reno tightened the grip on his arm, and he moaned slightly. He was dead anyway, so what did it matter?  
  
"Turn right up here."  
  
Reno wasted no time. He walked sideways, with his back to the wall, always keeping tabs on where the guards were.  
  
After several minutes of turning corners and evading the guards, they came to a large door, which required a card to open.  
  
To Cloud's surprise, Reno pulled one out of his pocket.  
  
"Where did you get that?"  
  
"I stole it from the bodyguards."  
  
"You'll never get away with this, you know."  
  
"Hey, I'm doing good so far."  
  
Reno swiped the card through the machine, and the latches on the door unlocked. It slid open.  
  
"Thanks, Clod. See ya around."  
  
Reno dropped Cloud onto the floor and hauled ass out of the building. To his amazement, he was in a tunnel. It lead up, which meant his hunch was right. They were underground.  
  
After a minute of running, he came to a hatch up above his head. He looked at the number pad next to it, and typed in a few random numbers.  
  
Nothing.  
  
Beep, beep, blip, bop.  
  
Nothing.  
  
Bop, blip, beep, beep.  
  
Nothing.  
  
Blip, beep, blip, bop.  
  
Nothing.  
  
Reno was getting frustrated. He could hear sounds from behind him. The guards had probably caught up with them by now.  
  
He pulled out his gun and fired at the control pad. It sparked and caught on fire. He prayed that something would happen.  
  
The noises were getting louder.  
  
He turned, prepared to fight.  
  
When suddenly the hatch opened.  
  
"Huzzah!" He whooped in delight, and climbed quickly out of the tunnel, and into the daylight.  
  
He ran a few more blocks, turning corners every so often, so the guards would lose him. After a moment he stopped to rest. He seemed to be safe.  
  
He couldn't believe Clod was working for the cartel. It was almost too good to be true! Finally, another reason to kill him.  
  
Than he though about how Tifa was doing, and decided to head home. If he could find his way, that is.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
A/N: Whoo! Finally, the 5th chapter is finished! Again, I'm sorry it took so long. But the length sorta made up for it, I guess. Lots of new developments in this chapter, 'eh? Cloud, working for the cartel? Who knew? ^_^ What do you think will happen? What's this new drug Harmony? And who's been adding that chemical with the stupid name to the recipe? Hmm. Many new things to ponder methinks. _ _ ^_^ Please R&R! 


End file.
